Brendan Matthews
 Brendan Matthews | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 21.5.1988 (27 years old) |
| Place of Birth | Albion, Wray |
| Events: | Men's 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m IM, 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x100m Medley |
| Olympic Medals | 7 (3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze) |
Brendan Luke William Matthews (born 21 May 1988), is a Wrayian Swimmer, most notably recognised for achieving four medals in his, and his country's, inaugural Olympic Games in Orean, Liventia. A powerful freestyle swimmer, Matthews led Wray to a remarkable 24 Olympic Medals in the games, and achieved somewhat of a celebrity status back in his home country. He has since gained two further Olympic successes at two further Games. He retired following injury at the X Summer Games in Centralis and Nassau Bay.
Having played Regional Hockey for Western Territories at U17 Level, Matthews only swam recreationally until a knee injury put him out of Hockey for a season and he got into the pool full-time. He represented his region in the National Championships from every age since 17, winning a record 5 medals before his 22nd birthday. He moved to Denvargen, in Uitbregen, to further his training, but only remained there for 7 months until Wray got independence, where he played a role in establishing the National Performance Centre for Swimming (NPCS), where he has trained ever since. His successes in the VIII Summer Games came in the Men's 100m Freestyle, Men's 200m Freestyle (where he also broke the Olympic Record in the time of 1:42.12), Men's 50m Freestyle & the Men's 4x100m Medley Relay, where he swam the Freestyle leg.
At the IX Summer Olympiad in Zube and Kytler Bay, in the Kytler Peninsulae, Matthews represented Wray again in each of his previous freestyle pursuits. He gained a silver medal in the Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay, and whilst he made the finals for both the 100m & 200m Freestyle, as well as the 4x100m Freestyle Relay, he did not achieve medals in them.
At the X Summer Olympiad in Centralis and Nassau Bay, in Electrum and New Gelderland, Matthews collected Wray's first gold medal of the games with a dominating performance in the 400m Individual Medley Relay - and also recorded his second Olympic Record, being the only man to hold two, recording a time of 4:02.78, edging out the record by 0.14 seconds.
Following the 400m IM success, Matthews reported the resurgence of an injury he sustained during the National Championships. He completed the rest of his events, but was notably substandard. He met extensively with Wray Swimming representatives and coaches in the proceeding 48 hours, sparking rumours that an announcement was to be made. After failing to reach the semi-finals of the 50m Freestyle, Matthews announced his retirement from professional swimming, following his swims in the final relay events. He called the decision 'the hardest he's ever had to make'. Wray Swimming Medical Officer Dan Rogeby said that Matthews had been battling the injury before the Games, but he had declared that he was fit to swim. It is thought that the 400m Individual Medley gold-medal swim exacerbated the injury.
He exited sport as one of the Olympics most decorated athletes, with 7 medals - 3 Golds, 3 Silvers and 1 bronze.
Matthews is married to Wrayian Equestrian athlete Rohana Mills-Murray. They live in North Cartersburg, with their 2 year-old son Radley.
